Manitoba is often glossed over in favour of B.C.’s coastal mountains, Alberta’s Badlands or the Maritimes’ quaint fishing villages. But Manitoba, and in particular, its capital city of Winnipeg, is worth a visit. Winnipeg is cooler than most people think (here are four reasons why, in case you need convincing) and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which opened in September 2014, ups the ante.

It’s the first museum in the world that’s dedicated to the history and future of human rights issues. It’s also the first national museum to have opened outside of Ottawa.

On its website, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights explains that its goal is to “explore the subject of human rights, with special but not exclusive reference to Canada, in order to enhance the public’s understanding of human rights, to promote respect for others, and to encourage reflection and dialogue.”

Upon arrival, each visitor is given a small paper version of the Charter of Human Rights.

Topics, which range from residential schools in Canada to the Holocaust in Germany to genocides in countries like Cambodia, are heavy and tough to digest, but curators have done an expert job at presenting each one in an interactive and compelling way.

There are a variety of permanent exhibitions including one called Truth and Reconciliation, which explores Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that was established in 2008 to create a transparency around the horrors of the residential schools that stripped the country’s First Nations of their culture, and aid in healing. Rotating exhibits exist, too, like Mandela: Struggle for Freedom, which runs until mid-summer 2019.

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Like we said, it’s heavy stuff, but important nonetheless.

While the museum furthers the conversation around difficult topics, it’s not without issues of its own. Several activists protested the opening, including First Nations groups who felt issues surrounding their culture weren’t accurately represented.

But the structure itself is undeniably beautiful. Designed by American architect Antoine Predock, the curved glass exterior is made up of 334 custom-cut glass panes and the 328-foot-tall Tower of Hope sits on top.

Inside, geometric walkways made from cream-coloured alabaster stone connect the various floors and rooms.